Private Enterprise
by Bow Echo
Summary: TAG-on to Rigged for Disaster. Scott, Virgil and Kayo debrief the action of the day and the use of work vehicles for private use gets an airing.


**AN - TAG-on to Rigged for Disaster -** **This is my first and quite possibly my last direct link to an episode, and that makes this most definitely a one-shot, there will be no temptation for this one to run away with me! As things were quiet on the site on the additional scene front for this one I couldn't resist. My own AU takes me up to Escape Proof so the relationships stand and will link into this additional scene. I won't make this a habit, just using it to clear a little block. Thanks for reading, I don't say that often enough.**

Virgil had got past wincing at each stinging comment, even with the door to the office closed the raised voices behind were quite obviously waging a private war. Scott opened with a direct attack, hiding behind chain of command, hitting home his argument hard where it hurt her the most, her need to make independent decisions. No doubt Scott was hiding the real problem behind the mission report, that had called him in first, then Kayo the instant he had been dismissed. Virgil listened as Kayo's voice got dragged into lifting before retreating back to calm and neutral serving only to reignite the fire from Scott. Virgil didn't fancy this peacekeeping mission for one second but with only the three of them currently in residence he would need to step into Grandma's shoes and bang their heads together if this continued for much longer.

The chance to enter the fray was taken from him as Kayo stalked out of the office waving her hand dismissively in the air "Follow at your peril Tracy and don't think for one minute this is over."

Virgil caught Scott's eye, instantly his brother's shoulders sagged and it seemed he had been claimed as middle ground so he took his cue and made his way over to the office. Whether by habit or the need to do something, Scott first walked to the drinks cabinet and poured out two Ginger Highballs, minus the whiskey. This made Virgil smile, a slip that may be dangerous given the circumstances of Scott's mood but the symbolic pouring of the stiff drink was telling none the less. The anger was dissipating slowly, probably as he processed the ridiculousness of his own argument. Still it was early days for them and he couldn't really blame Scott's initial instinct as he read a report that calmly, without emotion recorded Shadow nearly being pulled into the ocean. Virgil took a seat and waited for Scott to compose himself enough to turn and face him.

"So that was all about?"

"Working for Lady P without clearance from Five, John didn't even know she was on a mission."

Virgil risked a smile, Scott was currently simmering and it was going to go one of two ways, turning up the heat to boiling point or reducing it to create a mill pond of calm resignation. "Technically she wasn't on a mission, just a little muscle as back up for Penelope while she took full ownership of her new acquisition."

"Technically she was in Shadow, so on mission."

"So this was about her using her Thunderbird on a private enterprise, don't push me Scott I could name a couple of times One has been used for a personal jaunt." He noticed Scott smile for the first time since he had entered the office.

"Probably keep that history lesson quiet if you know what's good for _me_."

"So you gonna tell her?"

"What? I don't think that's wise"

Virgil raised an eyebrow, this was deflection by the master "Not that. Tell her that you were scared because she could have died; tell her that you freaked out when you realised how close it would have been if she had carried on trying to lift that rig. Tell her, that because you love her, your head never really allowed you to get to the bit in the report where Two turned up and together we saved three crew and we all lived happily ever after."

The exhale came, slow, softly and without the heave of resignation to the truth, more of a late realisation of what had brought him here. "Something I have to get used then? And I take it you're here asking me to apologise to her without actually saying it."

"You said apologise Scott, if that's what's on your mind maybe you should."

"You heard her …. _at your peril"_

"She also said this isn't over. What does Grandma always say? Never go to bed on an argument."

Scott face broke out into a wry smile "Don't think she was headed to my room."

"Then maybe you should be headed to hers, and Scott don't start with permission, or using IR equipment, just tell her you love her, handled it badly and it won't happen again."

"That easy for you to say."

"It'll be certainly better than what you've managed so far."

Scott clinked his glass against his brothers "Give it ten minutes; she hasn't had the help of a wise brother to talk her off the ceiling."

Virgil grinned "And neither will she. If you're expecting me to offer then this ain't high school, no passing on messages, you get in there and take the hit."

"That's what worries me, kinda deserve everything I get."

"I'll prep the med bay."

…

The door was open, instantly he knew lines of communication had been left open, in fact he'd put money on it that she had been expecting him. Still it was no doubt wise to knock rather than barge in. As his knock was greeted by silent indifference it was obvious her reaction would very much depend on his opening gambit.

Met with a hardened glare it seemed best to go with his gut instinct. "Sorry K."

"What for?"

It was obvious that this was not going to be made easy for him, so best not dig himself in any deeper on the intricacies of small parts of his argument he still felt had been valid "For allowing our relationship to blur work lines and for chewing you out when you didn't deserve it but I will not apologise for loving you and overreacting when you could have been hurt."

"Then why didn't you just say that?"

"Just gotta get used to the two sides of _us_."

That won him a reprieve as her hand patted the bed beside her, as he soon as his shoulder touched hers she rested her head against his and her arm linked his.

"We'll get better at this Scott. Don't hide behind a debrief, if you want to talk about my actions and how they affect you on a personal level, just say it but keep it out of the office. Maybe we need two debriefs, work related and none."

"Talking of none work related debriefs, there is something in the report that puzzled me, when the hell did Brains fit FAB1 with an airlock?"

Kayo laughed "Two weeks ago."

"Next question. Why?"

"Gordon expertly pointed out that as a submersible it may well be practical to have safe route to the ocean and EVA equipment should the need arise to abandon car."

"And Brains bought that? I'm not."

Kayo chuckled as she pressed tighter into his side "Gordon suggested to Penny there was much more room in FAB1 for their _diving excursions_."

Scott kissed Kayo passionately and they both sank into the comfort of the bed, he wiped a stray hair from her face before breaking out into a grin "Maybe when Brains is repairing your bird we should suggest a little modification of our own, bet you could get a double ride in that cockpit, could take a bike out anywhere in the world in less than a couple of hours. There are some white knuckle hairpins in The Alps."

Kayo snuggled into his chest and laughed "So permission granted all round to use any of the birds for a private enterprise then."


End file.
